Impact of three‐dimensional attitude variations of an unmanned aerial vehicle magnetometry system on magnetic data quality

ABSTRACT Optically pumped vapour magnetometers have an orientation dependency in measuring the scalar component of the ambient magnetic field which leads to challenges for integration with mobile platforms. Quantifying the three‐dimensional attitude variations (yaw, pitch and roll) of an optically pumped vapour magnetometer, while in‐flight and suspended underneath a rotary unmanned aerial vehicle, aids in the successful development of reliable, high‐resolution unmanned aerial vehicle magnetometry surveys. This study investigates the in‐flight three‐dimensional attitude characteristics of a GEM Systems Inc. GSMP‐35U potassium vapour magnetometer suspended 3 m underneath a Dà‐Jiāng Innovations S900 multi‐rotor unmanned aerial vehicle. A series of unmanned aerial vehicle‐borne attitude surveys quantified the three‐dimensional attitude variations that a simulated magnetometer payload experienced while freely (or semi‐rigidly) suspended underneath the unmanned aerial vehicle in fair weather. Analysis of the compiled yaw, pitch and roll data resulted in the design of a specialized semi‐rigid magnetometer mount, implemented to limit magnetometer rotation about the yaw axis. A subsequent unmanned aerial vehicle‐borne magnetic survey applying this specialized mount resulted in more than 99% of gathered GSMP‐35U magnetic data being within industry standards. Overall, this study validates that maintaining magnetometer attitude variations within quantified limits (±5° yaw, ±10° pitch and roll) during flight can yield reliable, continuous and high‐resolution unmanned aerial vehicle‐borne magnetic measurements.